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Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Situs Inversus of the Retinal Vessels

Situs Inversus of the Retinal Vessels

Category(ies): Retina, Vitreous
Contributor: Elizabeth Gauger, MD and Eric Chin, MD
Photographer: First set: Brice Critser, CRA; Second Set: Carol Chan, CRA

The patient was a 57-year-old man with vision loss in the right eye (OD) greater than left eye (OS) in the setting of a craniopharyngioma, which was resected 16 years prior. His visual acuity had been no light perception OD and 20/20 OS since the procedure.


Figure 1 is a fundus photo from a patient who has significant situs inversus (note, the scarring in the macula is from prior laser treatment and unrelated to the situs inversus).


Figure 2 is a fundus photo from a different patient who has moderate situs inversus. It is easiest to appreciate this vascular variation when it is compared to a normal fundus (Figure 3).


normal fundus
Figure 3. Normal Fundus (Contributed by Jesse Vislisel, MD; Photography: Toni Venckus, CRA